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Eagle eyes help police bring down street crime

India on 23 April 2014Location : New Delhi, India | Source : Times of India

It's a low-profile operation but the results are showing. Ever since 60 plainclothesmen on bikes started patrolling three police station areas in south Delhi on Saturday, not one street crime has been reported from their jurisdiction.

'Operation Eagle's Eye', started as a pilot project in Sarojini Nagar, RK Puram and Safdarjung Enclave police station areas, will be extended to other areas once resources permit. Meanwhile, special commissioner (law and order) Deepak Mishra has asked all police station chiefs to take every measure to reduce street crime. DCP (south) BS Jaiswal said the operation is part of their "area security plan" and its effect is being felt in the neighbouring areas also.

The project was taken up to check the increase in snatchings in south Delhi. "For this project, we took 10 cops from each of the three police stations, and the STF and special staff were asked to give 30 of their men. Thirty bikes were rented and the men were asked to be in plainclothes. Inspector Rajender Singh from the special task force (STF) was deputed to coordinate and conduct a special briefing for these men," said addl DCP (south) P S Kushwah.

The south district officers have taken into consideration details like timing, crime-prone areas and the selection of men for the operation. The cops will patrol in a radius of 500m to 1km and each bike rider knows the area like the back of his hand to ensure that criminals don't get away in a chase. The pillion will carry a wireless set and weapons.

Police analyzed data for snatchings and robberies to focus on areas where more crimes have taken place in the last six months. "We have assigned the best of our men and the patrolling will be done from 11.30am to 7.30am," Kushwah said.

The teams will be stationed around parks, temples, busy streets, outside malls and on lonely stretches. They will get an hour's break and their wireless sets have been tuned so that information can be shared easily.